It’s confirmed. ESPN2 will show the opening game of the 2009-2010 season between Chelsea and Hull City at 7:45am ET Saturday.

“Chelsea v Hull 7:45 AM on ESPN2 – and look for the EPL every or most Saturdays in that time slot,” reported ESPN Spanish-language announcer Roberto Abramowitz on the North American Soccer List. The news of the game being shown on ESPN2 has also been confirmed on ESPN News and ESPN Soccernet.

In the meantime, we’re working on getting confirmation from ESPN that the Disney-owned network will also carry the Monday 3pm ET kickoffs for the 2009-2010 season in addition to the 7:45am ET game each Saturday (and at 10am ET when there is no 7:45am ET game available).

This is truly a historic day in the rise of soccer in the United States.

MONDAY

Kamani Hill and Guimaraes face Vitoria Setubal.

Dan Califf and FC Midtjylland face Odense BK.

Alejandro Bedoya and Orebro SK face Djurgarden.

Who are you most excited to see this weekend? Personally I can’t wait for Chelsea to play Hull City (hopefully on ESPN) tomorrow at 10am eastern. His first game, hopefully lots of playing time, vs a favorite of many to win the EPL and possibly the Champions League as well.

Ken Lawrence has written a feature piece for ESPN about Tim Howard the USMNT goalie, and current Everton keeper. In it he and multiple other people talk about how Horward either is, or has all the potential to be the best goalkeeper in the world:

Everton manager David Moyes already insists the American is as good as it gets in the Premier League. “Tim is now on the same level as Pepe Reina and Petr Cech,” Moyes said. “They are considered to be the two best in England. I would not swap either for my man.”

I personally was very happy when Howard was able to avenge himself and show Man U what they gave up, when he beat them in the Semi’s last year on PK’s by saving 2. I think it was horrible how English media was blaming and insulting the fact that he has tourettes as a reason for his struggles.

“some newspapers even cruelly suggested that as a sufferer of Tourette syndrome who refused to medicate himself against the neurological disease, he had lost Ferguson’s confidence.”

Hopefully he keeps playing as well as he has been, and I give him a lot of credit for making the American defenders, especially Onyewu who seems to really work well with Howard, into better players even when hes not around.

Americans Brad Friedel and young Eirc Lichaj both started for Villa and Frieldel combined with American Brad Guzan who stopped (with help from the post) a PK seen below, for the clean sheet. From EPL site:

Villa victory

Aston Villa’s pre-season preparations concluded on a high note with a 1-0 victory over Serie A side Fiorentina at Villa Park.

Villa boss Martin O’Neill handed a debut to new £6million signing Fabian Delph but it was experienced campaigner Emile Heskey who hit winner for the hosts after 14 minutes, the striker reacting quickest to Ashley Young’s cross to prod home at the near post.

Fiorentina spurned a great chance to pull level with 15 minutes remaining when Curtis Davies handled in the area, Alberto Gilardino crashing the resulting penalty against the upright.

West Ham 0- Napoli 1

Johnathan Spector came in as a sub for West Ham.

West Ham woe

A late goal from Fabio Quagliarella condemned West Ham United to a 1-0 defeat in their Bobby Moore Cup match against Napoli.

A keenly-contested encounter at Upton Park ultimately went the way of the Italians after Quagliarella looped home a superb flicked header over Hammers goalkeeper Robert Green after 78 minutes.

The visitors were on the back foot moments later, however, when Manuele Blasi was sent off for a second yellow card just 26 minutes after entering the fray as a substitute.

The hosts pushed for an equalizer in the final minutes and came close through Junior Stanislas in stoppage time, but Napoli’s 10 men held on for the win.

EPL Talk is reporting that ESPN may have reached a deal with the EPL to show two games a week on ESPN here in the US.

“ESPN has acquired the TV rights to two of the weekly Premier League slots on US television for the 2009-2010 season. Beginning on August 15, 2009, each week ESPN will feature the 7:45am ET Saturday game and the 3pm ET Monday game.”

The first game to be shown by ESPN? Presumably Chelsea v Hull City on August 15th, Jozy Altidore’s first game in the EPL for Hull. There will also be games featuring teams with American players including: Fulham (Clint Dempsey and Eddie Johnson), Aston Villa (Fridel, Guzan), Everton (Tim Howard) on the prospective schedule.

However ESPN’s Ives Galarcep says not to get too excited yet as the deal is in the works and not yet official.

“UPDATE-Sources tell me no deal is finalized yet, but that talks are underway. In other words, you might want to hold off on the celebration until something official is announced.”

Hopefully this works out becuase it would be great to see Americans suceeding with their European Club teams, especially as it seems that more and more players are entering the top European Leagues.